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Friday, August 6, 2010

There's something very cool about New York. I've been here a few times now and I'm just fascinated by the energy and the eclectic mix of it all. But it's noisy. I mean, it's NOISY! I lay there in my hotel room last night, listening to the sirens and cars honking and general city noise, while trying to will myself to fall asleep. It didn't work. I finally stuffed my ear buds in my ears and tuned in to the ocean sounds on my iPod to drown it out.

So, after a less-than-wonderful night's sleep, I didn't wake up until 10:30 this morning. Oops. Kinda missed the morning sessions. And breakfast. And the coffee in my room tasted like butt. (No, I've never tasted butt, but I'm certain that is what it would taste like.) I wonder if there's a Dunkin' Donuts around here.

Last night, I got a call from Lisa Belkin, who writes the Motherlode blog for the New York Times. Check it out! She's a smart, insightful writer. I met Lisa when she interviewed me a while back. I remember she asked me, "Do you exaggerate what you write on your blog or does all that stuff really happen?"

I believe I told her, "Oh, hang on a minute! My son is on the refrigerator! Clayton get down from there! What do you want? Ask for help if you want something up high! Brooklyn, tell me you did NOT just spill nail polish on the couch! I'm sorry, Lisa, you were saying?"

"Nevermind."

Anyway, she called and asked me to join her and a small group of bloggers at the New York Times for lunch and a tour of the building. Since she reads my blog, she knew that Vic was here and hanging out with me so she invited him along as well. We bloggers gathered in the lobby, introduced ourselves, and started chatting while waiting for Lisa. Victor tried to join in the conversation, but I could tell his eyes were starting to glaze over. And then it happened. He saw tv-type screens. A lot of them. In a true ADD moment, he walked to the wall o' screens and stared, mesmerized by their flashing pictures and words. Or maybe it wasn't so much an ADD moment as a "guy thing". I'm not sure. But anyway, that was it for him. He was hooked. We didn't see him again until the end of the tour.

By the way, thank you Lisa for the nice visit with you, the interesting tour, and the yummy lunch! You're awesome!

The day went on, I did stuff, I met people, I had fun. I made several security guards freak out and call in the SWAT team. I probably shouldn't have put that part in there, but I'd hate for you to hear about it on the news first. Sooo, I'll explain. I was waiting for the elevator along with about 30 other people when there was this LOUD noise. It sounded like a bomb. People around me did the whole "duck and cover" thing. I had no idea what had happened until I felt the moisture on my leg. I looked down and saw broken green glass everywhere. I looked at my hands, where I'd been holding two glass bottles of Sprite. There was only one bottle remaining. (This is why they make plastic bottles, duh!)

Uh oh. In slow motion, I turned around and saw people to the left and right, cowering from the "bomb". An entire family was drenched in Sprite. Another person may have been impaled by projectile green glass. Sprite may have been dripping from the ceiling and running down the elevator doors. The scene, which had been unfolding in slow motion for me, suddenly caught up to real time as a couple security guards came racing around the corner, rapidly talking into the microphones on their lapels. I thought to myself that I should explain what happened and apologize profusely and make sure someone could clean it up quickly before an innocent person slipped and got hurt on the broken glass. I thought that. But as the security guards moved in, I frantically pounded the elevator button repeatedly and made a hasty retreat. I'm pretty sure my conference badge has been tagged and there are wanted posters up all over the hotel. I'm a little embarrassed afraid to go near the scene of the crime. I may just stay in my room tomorrow.

Finally, this evening, I went to a party hosted by Mom Central and Johnson & Johnson. Someone mentioned they were looking for dad bloggers so I told them that I happened to know one. I ran back to the hotel, grabbed Vic and dragged him over. So, this guy John starts talking to Vic and decides that Vic is awesome. "Wow! You have six kids? And you're single? And they live with you?? Oh my gosh, how do you do it??!!!" I think he may have bowed down a little while saying that last part. Then he turned to me and asked, "Do you have kids?"

I answered him, "Yep. I'm a single mom of six kids." I believe he said, "Oh". I stood there blinking, my mouth slightly agape. There is so no justice in this. A single dad takes care of his kids and it's all, "Oh my gosh, how do you do it?! You're amazing! You should win an award!" When a single mom takes care of her kids, it's all, "Yeah, well, that's expected. They are your kids afterall." And actually, it's not just single parents. It's parents, in general. Grrrr.

Anyway, I have another activity-filled day tomorrow (you know, setting off Sprite bombs, dodging security and what-not), so I'm gonna fire up the ocean sounds on the ole iPod and try to get some sleep before I have to wake up entirely too early (and on eastern time, at that)!

19 comments:

How funny about the Sprite. (well funny now and thank God no one got hurt by the glass. Wonder how it happened!?)

Watch out for the NYTimes. I was interviewed by them when i went to a SITS blog conference and then they did a butcher job of mom bloggers the following week, totally leaving out my entire interview and twisting just about everything that people said to them. UGH.

As a previously-native New Yorker here are some tips to sleeping in the city: alcohol, exhaustion, soundproof your hotel room with egg carton on the wall, playing your iPod loud enough to go deaf and my personal favorite - CSPAN2 on the TV.

First before I forget which I'm sure is all over the comments in the last post but you look amazing in the blue shirt pic! I think it's awesome all you're doing right now and even better that you're doing it with Spuds *bigfatsmile*. I hope you blog again tomorrow so I can get my fill. I'd say have fun on your trip but I'm pretty sure you have that covered!

""Wow! You have six kids? And you're single? And they live with you?? Oh my gosh, how do you do it??!!!" I think he may have bowed down a little while saying that last part. Then he turned to me and asked, "Do you have kids?"

I answered him, "Yep. I'm a single mom of six kids." I believe he said, "Oh". "

to me that sounds less like "well of course you can do it, it's your job" and more like "well whaddya know? this isn't nearly as uncommon as I thought."

I am sensing that you are happy -- and you deserve to be happy -- i have a question ... who is watching those 6 kids and we all know that Joe wasn't a good husband and "now" is not a good father but "was" he a good father?

ok. so i just have to know....how exactly did the "sprite bomb" go off? im sure the bottle didnt just magically explode in your hand. glad you are enjoying NYC. sounds like spuds is even enjoying himself a little.

For what it's worth, I bowed a little when I read your e-bay story (which is how I found out about you, you have my respect any day, and men who don't 'get it' don't deserve your attention :D This might be a stupid question, but how does a glass bottle of Sprite explode? Here most pop is sold in glass bottles, but I've never heard of one exploding, I'd like to know how to avoid it, heh.

I hate that butt coffee they provide in hotels...it is disgusting. We bring our own with us, for that reason.

Isn't it interesting how people just assume women should take care of all the kids and EVERYTHING around the house, etc., but when a man (like Vic) steps up and does an awesome job, it is like God incarnate...hmmm. Well, it may not be fair, but that is just the way it is!

Glad you had a nice get away to NYC and that you could hang with your good friend and fellow father of 6! Have a great trip home and back to real life...

LOL about "butt coffee"...and how DID the Sprite explode? And yes, I totally know how you feel: the females are expected to naturally do "girl" stuff, but if guys can do it, it's SO damn impressive!! Ugh...